Automatic starting device.



No. 813,262. PATENTED FEB.20, 1906.

H. A. WARDEN, F. MANNS & W. H. DECKER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30,1905.

AUTOMATIC STARTING DEVICE.

No. 813,262. PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

H. A. WARDEN, F. MANNS & W. H. DECKER.

VICE.

AUTOMATIC STARTING DE APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30.1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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M 6mm,

UNITED STAT Ei PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT A. WARDEN, FREDRIGK MANNS, AND WILLIAM H. DECKER, OF NEVVBURGH, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed June 30,1905. Serial No. 26 7,846.

siding at Newburgh, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Starting Devices, of which the following is a speci fication. I

This invention relates to an automatic starting device for electric motors, the object of the invention being to provide simple and effective means for regulating the resistance in the motor-circuit, and thereby gradually controlling the supply of current to the motor, so as to prevent burning out of the motor or any of the parts in the circuit by the too sudden supply of the full current strength thereto.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of the automatic starting or resistance-controlling device. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the traveler and. connected parts, Fig. 3 is a similar view of the retaining and guide member for the traveler. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the guide-bracket; and Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but on a reduced scale and showing the drive-gearing and circuit connections.

Referring now more particularly to the drawin s the numeral 1 desi nates a base supporting the parts of the apparatus and which may be arranged in any convenient position with relation to the motor or other electrical device in connection with which it is to be employed for regulating the supply of current thereto. On this base are a series of contact-steps 2, arranged in the arc of a circle, as shown. Adjacent to the last step 2 of the series of contact-ste s 2 a holding magnet 3 is supported on the ase 1, andthis magnet is designed to be arranged in the motor-circuit in the usual manner and to be connected with the said last contact-step 2.

Mounted to swing in the arc of a circle and to successively contact with the series of contact-steps 2 is a resistance-bar or switch-lever 4, which cooperates with said steps to regulate the resistance in the motor-circuit, and thereby govern the supply of current to the motor. This resistance-bar or switch-lever is adapted to be retracted and normally held in contact with the first step 2" at theleft of the series of contact-steps 2 by a contractile spring 4 and to be moved progressively to the right over the entire series of steps to gradually diminish the resistance and increase the supply of current in exact ratio to the speed of the motor. The retractingspring 4 is attached at one end to the upper end of the lever 4 and at its other end to a pin or stud 4, which stud is so arranged as to serve as a stop to limit the return movement of the lever.

The contacts 2 are associated in the customary manner with resistance-coils a and have a wire conection b with the motor C, from which lead other wires (1 d, the wire (1 connecting with the switch arm or lever 4 through its pivot pin or bolt and with one of the coils of magnet 3, while the wire (1 connects with the other coil of said magnet. The wires 1) and d respectively, connect with the armature and field of the motor and the wire (1 with both armature and field and in any suitable manner with the line and has arranged therein a main switch 0.

At the left of the rheostat are contacts 2 which are connected with each other and with the first working contact 2* of the rheostat by a conducting strip or strap 2.

Mounted to rotate in suitable bearingopenings in brackets 5 and 6, fixed to the base 1, is a screw-shaft 7, which is provided at one end with a pulley 8, connected by a belt f with a pulley g on a counter-shaft h, upon which is also a pulley 41, connected by a belt with a pulley 7r on the motor-shaft C, whereby motion is communicated to the screw-shaft 7 from the motor. Cooperating with the shaft 7 is a traveler 9 in the form of a block provided with a semicircular recess having threads to engage the shaft, thus, in efiect, forming a traveling nut which is adapted to be moved away from the shaft, and thereby thrown out of engagement therewith. This traveler is connected. by a pitman 10 with the resistance-bar or switch-lever 4, which latter carries the usual armature-plate 11 to cooperate with the holdingmagnet 3. The pitman 10 fits and slides within a guide-slot 12, carried by the bracket 6, whereby it is caused to move in a true path and held from lateral motion.

Attached to the traveler 9 is a depending I bracket-arm 13, which eXtends downward on the outside of the shaft 7 and is provided at its lower end with an inwardly-extending guide shoe or lug 14, adapted to cooperate with a retaining and guiding member 15 to hold the nut 9 in engagement with the screw and release it therefrom. The said member 15 comprises a horiZontally-arranged plate formed with arms 16 for the passage of fastenings 17 and 1S, securing it to the base 1. The under side or face of this plate is plane or straight-surfaced and extends parallel with the shaft 7, while the upper side or face of said plate is curved downward toward its front edge 19 in the direction of movement of the traveler 9. Fixed at one end to the fastening 17 of the rear holding-arm 16 of the plate 15 is a leaf-spring 20, which extends upwardly and forwardly beyond the front edge 19 of the plate and bears against said edge.

Assuming the parts to be in their normal position, or in the position shown in Fig. 1, which they occupy when the motor is at rest, it will be understood that when the shaft 7 is started in operation by the starting of the motor the nut 9 will be caused to travel thereon toward the bracket 6, said nut being held in engagement with the screw-shaft by the lug or shoe 14, which takes under or engages the under side or face of the plate 15. As the nut 9 travels along the screw motion will thereby be imparted to the switch-lever 4, which will successively contact with the series of steps 2 and gradually diminish the resistance and increase the supply of current to the motor. When the lug or shoe 14 passes beyond the forward edge 19 of the plate 15, said lug and the bracket-arm 13, by which it is carried, will be thrown upward by the thrust of the free end of the spring 20, which it has previously depressed, thus re leasing the nut 9 from engagement with the screw-shaft 7, at which time the lever 4 will have reached the limit of its forward movement and will be in engagement with the contact-step 2. The parts will thus be in the released position, but will be held from retraction by the spring 4 by the attractive action of the holding-magnet 3 on the armature-plate 11, thus maintaining the parts in position to supply the full current strength to the motor until the motor is brought to a stop and the current cut out of the motorcircuit, when the magnet will be denergized and release the armature-plate, whereupon the parts of the starting device will be retracted by the spring 4. hen the parts are so retracted, the guide lug or shoe 14 will slide backward over the upper surface of the plate 15, thus holding the nut 9 out of engagement with the shaft 7 until the shoe 14 passes beyond the rear end of the plate, whereupon the switch-arm 4 will abut against the stud 4 and the nut and bracket-arm 13 will drop downward by gravity, thereby bringing the nut into engagement with the shaft, and as the motor continues to run for a short period after the current has been cut off the nut will travel forward to the normal position, (shown in Figs. 1 and 5,) and thereby bring the shoe in position to ride again in contact with the lower surface of the plate 15, as shown in said figures, whereby the parts of the device are reset for the succeeding operation. Hence it will be seen that the backand-forth movement of the switch-lever 4 at the left of the rheostatthat is to say, the short are on which it travels between the step 2 and stud 4 and back again-permits the shoe 14 to properly move from engagement with the upper to engagement with the lower surface of the guiding and retaining member 15. In this movement, which may be termed a nut-resetting movement, as it restores the nut to normal position for the succeeding operation, the free end of the lever engages the contacts 2*, which, in connection with the strip 2, practically form a con tinuation of the first working contact 2. These contacts 2 consequently guide the lever and maintain it during its said nut-resetting movement in electrical contact with the first working contact 2.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of operation of the invention will be understood without a further extended descri tion.

Having thus describe I the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rheostat including a movable switch element, of a screw-shaft adapted to be operated from a motor, a nut adapted to traverse said shaft and to impart motion to said switch element, means forv maintaining the nut in engagement with the shaft during its forward motion, means for releasing it therefrom at the end of such motion, and -means for restoring the parts to their normal position.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rheostat including a movable switch element, of a screw-shaft adapted to be operated from a motor, a nut adapted to traverse said shaft, a pitman connecting the nut with the switch element, means for maintaining the nut in engagement with the shaft during its forward motion, means for releasing it therefrom at the end of such motion, and means for restoring the parts to their normal position.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rheostat including a movable switch element, of a screw-shaft adapted to be operated from a motor, a nut adapted to traverse said shaft and impart forward movement to said switch element, means for holding the nut in engagement with the shaft during its forward movement and maintaining the same out of engagement therewith during its rearward movement, means for throwin the nut out of engagement with the sha t at the limit of its forward movement, and means for retracting or restoring the parts to their normal position.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rheostat including a movable switch element, of a screw-shaft adapted to beoperated from a motor, a nut adapted to traverse said shaft and impart forward movement to said switch element, a shoe connected with the nut, a retaining and guiding member having opposite surfaces adapted to be traversed by said shoe to hold the nut in engagement with the shaft during its forward movement and out of engagement therewith during its rearward movement, means for shifting the shoe from the former to the latter named surface, and means for restoring the parts to their normal positions.

5. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a rheostat including a movable switch element, of a screw-shaft adapted to be operated from a motor, a nut adapted to traverse said shaft and impart forward movement to said switch element, a shoe connected with the nut, a guiding and retaining member having opposite surfaces adapted to be traversed by said shoe to hold the nut in engagement with the shaft during its forward movement and out of engagement therewith during its rearward movement, a spring for shifting the shoe from the former to the latter named surface, and means for restoring the parts to their normal position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HERBERT A. WARDEN. FREDRICK MANNS. WILLIAM H. DECKER.

Witnesses:

JONATHAN D. WILSON, Jr., H. V. DUTOHER. 

